Croatia, Montenegro

CROATIA

Zlatni Rat

The famous spit of sand on the island of Brač, in the region of Dalmatia

The Adriatic boasts more than 1,000 miles of delightful coastline, and with fascinating history and culture to uncover, it’s no surprise that places like Croatia and Montenegro are attracting so much interest from charterers.

Beyond its palm-fringed shores and the backdrop of lush mountain scenery, little Montenegro is filled with ancient architecture and associated history. The medieval coastal towns of Budva and Sveti Stefan are jewels of the Adriatic, and the convoluted coastline means there are innumerable secret and unspoiled bays and anchorages to discover.

Montenegro’s Boka Bay World Heritage Site is a sunken canyon that’s the largest natural harbour in the eastern Mediterranean; 65 miles of coastline twists inland from the Adriatic on the southern edge of the Dalmatian coast.

Croatia has much to offer too, and although there’s much to see the Krka waterfalls are definitely worth the cruise 12 miles upriver to the small marina where a tour boat will take you the rest of the way. That’s in north Croatia, and if you’re heading to the south of the country then Split and Dubrovnik are the main cultural highlights. There are also plenty of smaller villages and towns to explore on the nearby islands of Brac, Havar, Korcula and Mlijet, where the pace of life is more laid back and relaxed.

In between the two regions, central Croatia offers the Kornati National Park, which is a cruising paradise for more experienced sailors with its 89 islands floating in crystal blue waters. It’s a rocky seascape though, and an amount of care is required to navigate the reefs.

Nearly all Croatia’s off-lying islands are delightful, particularly those off the Dalmatian coast, where you can nearly always find somewhere uncrowded to drop anchor and enjoy the peace and quiet or a gentle swim.

Although this part of the Mediterranean is pleasantly warm in summer, it’s not as hot as the eastern Mediterranean and often has better winds. The season is similar to the Cote D’Azur and western Mediterranean, late April to late September, but it is worth noting that in August the area is popular with Italian holidaymakers, and marinas and anchorages can become extremely busy. The season runs from early May to late October, but it can get chilly in May and October. August has fine weather but also crowded marinas and anchorages.

Montenegro

Old town of Kotor, Montenegro Croatia has five international airports: Rijeka on the island of Krk in the north, Zadar, Split, Dubrovnik and Zagreb. All apart from the last are conveniently located very near to yacht chartering hubs.

CROATIA

Myriad hidden bays and coves are waiting to be discovered by sailors cruising this beautiful and historic Adriatic coastline

DUBROVNIK

16th Century stone walls encircle the port of Dubrovnik, which retains many historic buildings as well as plenty of shops and restaurants

CARIBBEAN

Dramatic coast

Sail in Nelson’s wake as you enjoy steady trade wind conditions

THE BATHS

Stunning boulder formations along the south west end of Virgin Gorda with caves to explore

PETER ISLAND

Peter Island in the BVIs offers hiking and biking trails, and the mile-long crescent beach of Deadman’s Bay Yacht charter in the Caribbean is living the dream. Warm trade winds whisk you from one palm-fringed paradise to the next, sailing through vibrant blue waters with turtles and dolphins for company, before relaxing with an exotic cocktail at one of the many beach bars… does life get any better?

The Virgin Islands (British and US) comprise small groups of palm tree-fringed tropical islands with generally line-of-sight navigation, and some of the most idyllic anchorages in the Caribbean. Located in the Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands offer dependable steady trade winds, sheltered waters and short passages, which make for stress-free sailing for less-experienced crews.

The Leeward Islands (the top half of the Lesser Antilles chain) are well-served with European-style marinas and have bases for many of the well-known charter companies. The French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe is a highlight, with ideal sailing conditions and delicious cuisine ashore, thanks to the blend of French and Creole influences. Guadeloupe is also a good base in which to embark on a passage to Antigua. The further north you head along the chain, the more developed some of the islands become including St Barths, St Martin and Anguilla, which are popular for superyachts.

The southerly part of the Lesser Antilles chain is known as the Windward Islands. The chain of small islands known as the Grenadines, between St Vincent and Carriacou, are rustic and remote and encircle one of the most picturesque ‘Robinson Crusoe-style’ islets in the world – Tobago Cays. It is now a protected marine park surrounded by shallow reefs, teaming with brightly-coloured fish, and perfect for snorkelling.

VIRGIN ISLANDS, LEEWARD ISLES, WINDWARD ISLES, BAHAMAS

glorious beaches

The Caribbean’s beaches and sandy anchorages are hard to beat

Bequia, Mustique, Cannouan, Mayreau, Union Island and the tiny resort island of Petit St Vincent are a selection of other ‘secret’ hideaways in the chain, which offer safe anchorages and dreamy clear turquoise water where it is possible to see your anchor in the white sand 10m down.

Grenada, with its abundance of fragrant spice trees including nutmeg, cinnamon cloves, ginger and cocoa, is commonly known as Spice Isle. It is a fantastic island to cruise round but reefs around the coast require careful navigation.

The French island of Martinique is a good choice for those who prefer short distance sailing and a more European style on shore.

Although much of the north of the island is mountainous and lined with lush rain forests, there are numerous beautiful beaches and sheltered anchorages further south with plenty of places of historical interest to visit, and a relatively short sail away from Cul-de-Sac du Marin Marina where most charter yachts are based.

The Bahamas is a coral-based archipelago made up of over 700 islands in the Atlantic Ocean and extending over 500 miles. Lying east of Florida and north of Cuba, it boasts some of the clearest turquoise water on the planet.

Many of the islands are uninhabited and there are plenty of anchorages and deserted beaches.

Among the numerous groups of islands, one of the most popular and least commercialised is Abacos, which extends over 120 miles.

Reefs and shoals mean careful navigation is essential, but a coastline scalloped with coves and bays, and crystal water full of brightly-coloured fish, makes it another snorkelling paradise. Overall, a Caribbean charter is hard to beat.

January to April is high season in the Caribbean. That’s when the tropical climate, moderated by the Gulf Stream, provides warm, gentle trade wind breezes. Sailing is fairly straightforward because the wind generally tops out at around Force 4-5 . Occasionally you’ll experience a bit of a blow but there are plenty of places to seek shelter should you need it. May-June can produce more wind with high humidity and frequent rainstorms. Late June to late November (officially May-December for insurance purposes) is hurricane season.

Iles des Saintes

Sundowners at anchor in French Guadaloupe

ANTIGUA HARBOUR

Stunning arrival and a warm welcome

GALLEY BAY

With direct flights from the UK (restrictions allowing), Antigua is a popular start location for a charter holiday. From there you can venture to Barbuda, Montserrat, Nevis and St Kitts. Tortola is where most BVI charters are based, and you can fly direct to Beef Island Airport on Tortola or take a ferry from St Thomas in the US Virgin Islands. For Antigua and Barbuda and the Leeward Islands, VC Bird International Airport is the hub with direct flights serving the UK.